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Terms beginning with a capital letter have the meaning defined in Table 1. Terms beginning with a small letter have the meaning commonly defined for the context in which they are used. For instance, Table 1 defines Object and Scene but does not define object and scene.
A dash “-” preceding a Term in Table 1 indicates the following readings according to the font:
- Normal font: the Term in the table without a dash and preceding the one with a dash should be read before that Term. For example, “Avatar” and “- Model” will yield “Avatar Model.”
- Italic font: the Term in the table without a dash and preceding the one with a dash should be read after that Term. For example, “Avatar” and “- Portable” will yield “Portable Avatar.”
Table 1 – General MPAI-AIF terms
| Term | Definition |
| Access | Static or slowly changing data that are required by an application such as domain knowledge data, data models, etc. |
| AI Framework (AIF) | The environment where AIWs are executed. |
| AI Module (AIM) | A processing element receiving AIM-specific Inputs and producing AIM-specific Outputs according to according to its Function. An AIM may be an aggregation of AIMs. AIMs operate in the Trusted Zone. |
| AI Workflow (AIW) | A structured aggregation of AIMs implementing a Use Case receiving AIM-specific inputs and producing AIM-specific outputs according to its Function. AIWs operate in the Trusted Zone. |
| AIF Metadata | The data set describing the capabilities of an AIF set by the AIF Implementer. |
| AIM Metadata | The data set describing the capabilities of an AIM set by the AIM Implementer. |
| AIM Storage | A Component to store data of individual AIMs. An AIM may only access its own data. The AIM Storage is part of the Trusted Zone. |
| AIW Metadata | The data set describing the capabilities of an AIW set by the AIW Implementer. |
| Channel | A physical or logical connection between an output Port of an AIM and an input Port of an AIM. The term “connection” is also used as synonymous. Channels are part of the Trusted Zone. |
| Communication | The infrastructure that implements message passing between AIMs. Communication operates in the Trusted Zone. |
| Component | One of the 9 AIF elements: Access, AI Module, AI Workflow, Communication, Controller, AIM Storage, Shared Storage, Store, and User Agent. |
| Composite AIM | An AIM aggregating more than one AIM. |
| Controller | A Component that manages and controls the AIMs in the AIWs, so that they execute in the correct order and at the time when they are needed. The Controller operates in the Trusted Zone. |
| Data Type | An instance of the Data Types defined by 6.1.1. |
| Device | A hardware and/or software entity running at least one instance of an AIF. |
| Event | An occurrence acted on by an Implementation. |
| External Port | An input or output Port simulating communication with an external Controller. |
| Group Element | An AIF in a in a proximity-based scenario. |
| Knowledge Base | Structured and/or unstructured information made accessible to AIMs via MPAI-specified interfaces. |
| Message | A sequence of Records. |
| MPAI Ontology | A dynamic collection of terms with a defined semantics managed by MPAI. |
| MPAI Server | A remote machine executing one or more AIMs. |
| Remote Port | A Port number associated with a specific remote AIM. |
| Store | The repository of Implementations. |
| Port | A physical or logical communication interface of an AIM. |
| Record | Data with a specified Format. |
| Resource policy | The set of conditions under which specific actions may be applied. |
| Security Abstraction Layer | (SAL) The set of Trusted Services that provide security functionalities to AIF. |
| Shared Storage | A Component to store data shared among AIMs. The Shared Storage is part of the Trusted Zone. |
| Status | The set of parameters characterising a Component. |
| Structure | A composition of Records |
| Time Base | The protocol specifying how Components can access timing information. The Time Base is part of the Trusted Zone. |
| Topology | The set of Channels connecting AIMs in an AIW. |
| Trusted Zone | An environment that contains only trusted objects, i.e., object that do not require further authentication. |
| User Agent | The Component interfacing the user with an AIF through the Controller |
| Zero Trust | A cybersecurity model primarily focused on data and service protection that assumes no implicit trust [28]. |
| Security Abstraction Layer | A layer acting as a bridge between the AIMs and the Control on one side, and the security functions. |
Table 2 – MPAI-wide definitions
The Terms used in this standard whose first letter is capital and are not already included in Table 1 are defined in Table 2.
Note: To concentrate in one place all the Terms that are composed of a common name followed by other words (e.g., the word Data followed by one of the words Format, Type, or Semantics), the definition given to a Terms preceded by a dash “-” applies to a Term composed by that Term without the dash preceded by the Term that precedes it in the column without a dash.
Table 2 – MPAI-wide Terms
| Term | Definition |
| Access | Static or slowly changing data that are required by an application such as domain knowledge data, data models, etc. |
| AI Framework (AIF) | The environment where AIWs are executed. |
| AI Model (AIM) | A data processing element receiving AIM-specific Inputs and producing AIM-specific Outputs according to according to its Function. An AIM may be an aggregation of AIMs. |
| AI Workflow (AIW) | A structured aggregation of AIMs implementing a Use Case receiving AIW-specific inputs and producing AIW-specific outputs according to the AIW Function. |
| Application Standard | An MPAI Standard designed to enable a particular application domain. |
| Channel | A connection between an output port of an AIM and an input port of an AIM. The term “connection” is also used as synonymous. |
| Communication | The infrastructure that implements message passing between AIMs. |
| Component | One of the 7 AIF elements: Access, Communication, Controller, Internal Storage, Global Storage, Store, and User Agent |
| Composite AIM | An AIM aggregating more than one AIM. |
| Component | One of the 7 AIF elements: Access, Communication, Controller, Internal Storage, Global Storage, Store, and User Agent |
| Conformance | The attribute of an Implementation of being a correct technical Implementation of a Technical Specification. |
| – Testing | The normative document specifying the Means to Test the Conformance of an Implementation. |
| – Testing Means | Procedures, tools, data sets and/or data set characteristics to Test the Conformance of an Implementation. |
| Connection | A channel connecting an output port of an AIM and an input port of an AIM. |
| Controller | A Component that manages and controls the AIMs in the AIF, so that they execute in the correct order and at the time when they are needed |
| Data | Information in digital form. |
| – Format | The standard digital representation of Data. |
| – Type | An instance of Data with a specific Data Format. |
| – Semantics | The meaning of Data. |
| Descriptor | Coded representation of a text, audio, speech, or visual feature. |
| Digital Representation | Data corresponding to and representing a physical entity. |
| Ecosystem | The ensemble of actors making it possible for a User to execute an application composed of an AIF, one or more AIWs, each with one or more AIMs potentially sourced from independent implementers. |
| Explainability | The ability to trace the output of an Implementation back to the inputs that have produced it. |
| Fairness | The attribute of an Implementation whose extent of applicability can be assessed by making the training set and/or network open to testing for bias and unanticipated results. |
| Function | The operations effected by an AIW or an AIM on input data. |
| Global Storage | A Component to store data shared by AIMs. |
| AIM/AIW Storage | A Component to store data of the individual AIMs. |
| Identifier | A name that uniquely identifies an Implementation. |
| Implementation | 1. An embodiment of the MPAI-AIF Technical Specification, or
2. An AIW or AIM of a particular Level (1-2-3) conforming with a Use Case of an MPAI Application Standard. |
| Implementer | A legal entity implementing MPAI Technical Specifications. |
| ImplementerID (IID) | A unique name assigned by the ImplementerID Registration Authority to an Implementer. |
| ImplementerID Registration Authority (IIDRA) | The entity appointed by MPAI to assign ImplementerID’s to Implementers. |
| Instance ID | Instance of a class of Objects and the Group of Objects the Instance belongs to. |
| Interoperability | The ability to functionally replace an AIM with another AIW having the same Interoperability Level |
| – Level | The attribute of an AIW and its AIMs to be executable in an AIF Implementation and to:
1. Be proprietary (Level 1) 2. Pass the Conformance Testing (Level 2) of an Application Standard 3. Pass the Performance Testing (Level 3) of an Application Standard. |
| Knowledge Base | Structured and/or unstructured information made accessible to AIMs via MPAI-specified interfaces |
| Message | A sequence of Records transported by Communication through Channels. |
| Normativity | The set of attributes of a technology or a set of technologies specified by the applicable parts of an MPAI standard. |
| Performance | The attribute of an Implementation of being Reliable, Robust, Fair and Replicable. |
| – Assessment | The normative document specifying the Means to Assess the Grade of Performance of an Implementation. |
| – Assessment Means | Procedures, tools, data sets and/or data set characteristics to Assess the Performance of an Implementation. |
| – Assessor | An entity Assessing the Performance of an Implementation. |
| Profile | A particular subset of the technologies used in MPAI-AIF or an AIW of an Application Standard and, where applicable, the classes, other subsets, options and parameters relevant to that subset. |
| Record | A data structure with a specified structure |
| Reference Model | The AIMs and theirs Connections in an AIW. |
| Reference Software | A technically correct software implementation of a Technical Specification containing source code, or source and compiled code. |
| Reliability | The attribute of an Implementation that performs as specified by the Application Standard, profile, and version the Implementation refers to, e.g., within the application scope, stated limitations, and for the period of time specified by the Implementer. |
| Replicability | The attribute of an Implementation whose Performance, as Assessed by a Performance Assessor, can be replicated, within an agreed level, by another Performance Assessor. |
| Robustness | The attribute of an Implementation that copes with data outside of the stated application scope with an estimated degree of confidence. |
| Scope | The domain of applicability of an MPAI Application Standard |
| Service Provider | An entrepreneur who offers an Implementation as a service (e.g., a recommendation service) to Users. |
| Standard | A set of Technical Specification, Reference Software, Conformance Testing, Performance Assessment, and Technical Report of an MPAI application Standard. |
| Technical Specification | (Framework) the normative specification of the AIF.
(Application) the normative specification of the set of AIWs belonging to an application domain along with the AIMs required to Implement the AIWs that includes: 1. The formats of the Input/Output data of the AIWs implementing the AIWs. 2. The Connections of the AIMs of the AIW. 3. The formats of the Input/Output data of the AIMs belonging to the AIW. |
| Testing Laboratory | A laboratory accredited to Assess the Grade of Performance of Implementations. |
| Time Base | The protocol specifying how Components can access timing information |
| Topology | The set of AIM Connections of an AIW. |
| Use Case | A particular instance of the Application domain target of an Application Standard. |
| User | A user of an Implementation. |
| User Agent | The Component interfacing the user with an AIF through the Controller |
| Version | A revision or extension of a Standard or of one of its elements. |
| Zero Trust | A cybersecurity model primarily focused on data and service protection that assumes no implicit trust. |
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